Machine for twisting straw



(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

' L. SULLIVAN.

MACHINE FOR TWISTING STRAW, &c., FOR FUEL. No. 406.153. Patented July 2,1889.

N ETERS, Fhnlia-ulhn m her, wuhingwn, u:c

3 sheets-sheet (No Model.)

L. SULLIVAN. MACHINE FOR TWISTING STRAW, 8m, FOR FUEL. .No. 406,153.Patented July 2, 1889.

WITNESSES v M INT EN? l med I .dttorney N. PUER5. Plwto-unwwhar;Washlngion. 6.1;

(NoModeL) "3 Sheets-Sheet 3. L. SULLIVAN. MACHINE FOR TWISTING STBAW,850., FOR FUEL.

Patented July 2, 1 889.

Inventor.

-u. PETERS. Fhclo-lilhognphar. Washingwx 1C.

' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LAW'RENCE SULLIVAN, OF SlILIlWA'lER, MINNESOTA.

MACHINE FOR TWISTING STRAW, 800., FOR FUEL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 406,153, dated July 2,18 89.

Application filed December 10, 1885. Serial No. 185,214- (No model.)

1'0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LAWRENCE SULLIVAN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Stillwater, in the county of WVashington and State ofMinnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Machinesfor Twisting Straw, &c., for Fuel; and I do hereby declare the followingto be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such aswill enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make anduse the same.

Myinvention relates toamachine for twisting hay, straw, and flax intolarge ropes to be cut in short lengths and used as fuel, which machineis designed to be run by steam or horse power, and either in connectionwith a thrashing-machine or independently.

The object of my invention is to provide a machine that will twist alarge quantity of hay or straw in a short space of time into ropes to bewound upon spools or spindles to be out up as desired and employed asfuel. I-Ieretofore the vast quantity of straw raised by the farmersthroughout the grain-producing sections of the country has been burnedin the stacks in the fields and wasted, and large tracts of wild hay areeach year burned and wasted. It is by this invention designed to turn.this straw and hay into fuel, thus making a great savingfto; thefarmers. I attain this object by the mechanism of my invention, asillustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is atop planView of the invention complete. Fig. 2 is a side view of the inventioncomplete. Fig. 3 is a top view of shaft B and its power attachments.Fig. 4 shows sectional views of the winding-shaft, and also thespool-head B. Fig. 5 is a view of the twister C. Fig. 6 is a detachedview of the pulley h, showing manner of connection to spool-head B Fig.7 shows detached views of collar 0 into which the twister G isillserted. Fig. 8 is a view of the guide-rollers d, through which thestrands pass after being twisted. Fig. 9 is a top view of the cover ofthe twisters O. Fig. 10 is a detail view of the shaft B and the pulley BFig. 11. is a detached side view of the knife for cutting the twistedstraw into pieces. Fig. 12 is a de- Similar letters refer to similarparts in each figure. I

A represents the wheels of the trucks of my invention, which are madelow in order to accommodate the twisting mechanism to thethrashing-machine with which it may be run..

A represents the frame, upon which is attached and arranged themechanism of m invention.

B is the power-pulley, which is connected with the thrashing-machine orindependent power, as the case may be, from which it receives itsmotion.

B is the main shaft, which drives the. ma-

chinery of this invention.

B is a counter-shaft that drives the f rictionpulley B which in turndrives the large disk B by revolving against its face. The disk 13 i 3firmly connected, as hereinafter described, to one of the spool-heads Band causes the spool to revolve fast or slow, according as thefriction-pulley B is revolved at thecenter or circumference of the disk13*. The frictionpulley B is aloose pulley and provided with alongitudinal groove 2,which engages the feather 1 upon the shaft B(shown in Figs. 10 and 12,) so that it is easily moved back and forwardupon the shaft B and the face of the disk B by the lever j. At the powerend of the countershaft B is attached a miter-pinion B, which meshesinto a miter-gear B upon the main shaft B, and through which the poweris transmitted from the main shaft B to the counter-shaft B At the innerend of the main shaft B is attached a large pinion I), (see 3,) whichmeshes in a large gearwheel I), located on the under side of theplatform 0, as shown by Fig. 3.

0 represents the platform, upon which rest the twisting-funnels O G C,and this plat- The funnel-twisters O tween their lower ends and theupper ends of the tubes To the lower side of the hub of the gear 0 andopposite the funnel C is attached a short tube 3, which forms the lowerend of the funnel C. (See Fig. 5.) The tubes 3, which form the lowerends of the funnels C, are inserted into the sleeves o (see Fig. 7,)which are attached to the platform 0 and extend downward therefrom.Between the gearwheels 0 is placed a gear-wheel 0 which is attached to avertical shaft K, having a hearing at the center of the platform 0 forits lower end, and its upper end journaled into the standard-braeket c.The gear-wheel 0 remains stationary in relation to the wheels 0 whichrevolve around it. The twisters G C C are held in place and firmlysupported by the wrought-iron frame c to which are attached thetraveling rollers 0 which allow the twisters to turn easily. Upon theinside of the twisters C C O are provided ribs in V shape 0, whichprevent hay or straw from turning in the funnels without twisting. Thusthe turning of the shaft B revolves the platform 0 through the pinion b,and the revolving of the platform turns the twisting-funnels C in thesame direction, and revolves each around the gear-wheel c, which remainsstationary when the platform C is being revolved.

The gear-wheel c bein g attached to the vertical shaft K, it and theshaft are held stationary while the platform 0 is revolved around themby inserting an ordinary gib or key at the point (Z? of the bracket c.

Underneath the center of the platform C is placed a large sheet-ironcone P, as shown in Fig. 2, and beneath the point of this cone is placedawide ring (Z, within which the strands or ropes of hay or straw areunited and twisted into a large rope, (see Fig. 2,) which then passesbetween two concave rollers d, which act as a guide and prevent thebinding of the rope against the ring (I, and causing it to draw hard.After passing the concave rollers d the rope passes on to the concaverollers (1 which press the rope hard, and also act as a clutch, and pullthe rope and strands from the twisters. The concave rollers (Z have atone end gear-wheels 4, which intern1esl1,and the motion of the one isthereby transmitted to the other, but turning in opposite directions.These rollers are attached to the frame A .by a hanging bracket (1 Theupper roller has a shaft (1 at its outer end,

to which is attached a pulley (Z connected to the power-shaft B by around belt (1", which passes over a pulley (l on the power-shaft l3, andthus the power from the shaft Bis transmitted to the concave rollers (ZAs the rope passes on from the rollers (Pitpasses between two concaveguide-rollers e c, which are journaled in the supporting-standard of theguidelever 6 and thence to and between two other concave guide-rollers ea attached to the outer end of the guide-lever c and thence to thespool-shaft b where it is wound into large rolls, which are preserved inthis manner until desired for fuel,when it is cut off in proper lengthsfor fuel. The guide-lever e is for the purpose of directing the windingof the rope upon the spool-shaft b and is pivoted to the frame A by astandard e, which carries the guide-rollers e 6, having an upright bolt6 which allows the guide-lever e to rise as the spool is wound full. Atthe inner end of the guide-lever c it has a longitudinal slot 6 and inthis slot is placed an upright bolt 6 which extends downward in to thescrew-block a which is moved from side to side of the frame A by thescrew-shaft e". The slot e is for the purpose of allowing the lever c tofollow the screw-block e as it passes back and forth upon thescrew-shaft e".

If it is desired that the ropes as twisted shall be cut into long orshort lengths, it is made to pass from the concave rollers (Z to aguideroller F, attached to the cross-piece F of the frame A, on one sideof which is attached a concave cutting bar F which. forms one side of ashear for cutting off the rope. To the same side of the cross-bar F ofthe frame A is attached a cutting-lever F which is fulcrumed to thecross-piece F, and provided with a sharp shear-blade to correspond withthe cutting-bar F. This lever extends over the outside frame A and isoperatedby hand.

In order to slack the speed of the rope while being cut by the lever F,the tightenerpulley handle fis extended across thehandle of thecutting-bar F and as the cutting-bar handle is raised for the purpose ofcutting the rope the tightener-pulley handle f rises also and relievesthe pressure upon the belt, and the concave rollers cease to run for thetime required to cut the rope. When the rope is being cut, the spool bis thrown out of gear by sliding the friction-pulley B" off its featherand allowing it to run loose upon the shaft At the inner side of thespool-shaft b? is provided a coupling-sliifter g, for operating thescrew-shaft c. This shifter is made of wood or iron in triangular shapeat its head, and the body is extended forward to cross-bar g, and isprovided with shoulders on each side at alternating points, and is keptin place by guide-brackets g on the cross-bar g. This coupling-shifter gis placed against the rope wound upon the spool 0 and as each successivelayer is added .the shifter g is pushed backward the distance of one ofthe shoulders g upon its body. These shoulders pass between twoprojections g" g upon the coupling-rod As the shoulders pass theprojections g the coupling-rod g is made to shift endwise from right toleft or left to right of the frame A, and thus changes theclutchcoupling g on the outer end of the screwshaft 0" from pulley g tog and vice versa, as often as a new layerof rope is wound on the spool13.

On one head B of the spool is attached a short shaft carrying the pulley71 which conneets with the screw-shaft pulleys g and 9 by ITO belts, onebeing a cross-belt. The screwshaft receives its power from the spool.The screw-shaft pulleys g and g are both loose pulleys and drive thescrew-shaft 6 only as the clutch g, which works upon a feather, isapplied, and the shaft turns in opposite directions as the clutch isapplied alternately to the pulleys g and g and carries the screwblock afrom end to end of the screw-shaft. The screw-block e is looselyconnected to the guide-lever e and directs the winding of the rope uponthe spool. Each of the spool-heads is provided with an opening h for thepurpose of removing the spool-shaft b when the spool is full and toinsert another. The spoolshaft b is held in place by a slide rigidlysecured to the shaft 1) and set-screw h which binds against the edge ofthe slot h or other suitable fastening.

For the purpose of regulating the speed of the winding-spool to conformto the amount of rope on the spool and which must run slower as eachsuccessive layer is added, the large friction-disk B has been providedwith a friction-pulley 13 which works on a feather 1, and is movedbackward and forward upon the counter-shaft B by the movement of theshifting-fork j. Upon the under side of the ratchet-wheel j is agear-Wheel a, (shown in dotted lines,) that meshes in the rack 7' uponthe stem of the shifting-forkj. The ratchetwheel j is provided with twopawls 7' one of which moves forward, the other backward, and move theratchetwheel continuously in the same direction. The pawls j areoperated by theslide j, which is mounted in brackets 3' to the sidepieces of the frame A- The slide j is operated by the screw-block estriking against the end pieces j as it reaches either end of thescrew-shaft c". It will be seen that by this movement of the slide j thepawls are made to work alternately upon the ratchet-wheel j, which is ina horizontal position and is held in position by the bracket f.

WVhen I desire to twist three small single strands (or more, as I do notconfine the number of the twisting-funnels to three, as illustrated) ofabout two inches diameter, I disconnect the pinion 12 upon the mainshaft B from the large gear-wheel b and attach to the under side of theplatform 0 a short shaft K, carrying a small gear-wheel K, (see Fig, 3,)and attach the same to the main shaft B by means of the sleeve K of thepinion b. This done, the platform 0 ceases to turn, the small gear-wheelK meshes with the gearface'K upon the under side of the large gearwheel0 situated in the midst of the twisting-funnels O O C, and turns each ofthe twisters independently. The ropes so twisted pass through a seriesof guide-sheaves K", and are conducted to the guide-lever c and throughthe guide-pulleys e and e to the spool.

To connect the spool-head B with the large friction-disk B, I use ashort hollow shaft 0, extending across the side piece of the frame A andprovided with a collar 0 at each end, one of which is attached to thespool-head B and the other to the disk B, (see Fig. 1,) and to connectthe spool-head B with the pulley h, I use a short hollow shaft extendingacross the side of the frame A, and provided with a collar 0 at one endand the pulley h at the other, the collar being attached to thespoolhead B by bolts. (See Fig. 6.) I

Having thus fully described and illustrated my invention, what I claimas new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is- I,

1. In a hay or straw twisting machine, the combination of the mainframe, a revolving platform placed thereon and provided with agear-wheel, a driving-shaft provided with a gear-wheel engaging thegear-wheel upon the revolvingplatform, funnels journaled in theplatform, gear-wheels secured to their lower ends, and a stationarygear-wheel placed at the center of the circle described by thelower endsof the funnels, and with which the said gear-wheels secured to thefunnels engage, whereby a rotary motion is imparted to the platform andfunnels through the medium of the driving-shaft, substantially as shownand described.

2. In a machine for twisting straw into ropes, the combination of themain frame, the platform, one or more funnels j ournaled therein,gearwheels secured to their lower ends, a gear-wheel j ournaled at thecenter of the platform which engages the gear-wheels 'on the ends of thefunnels, adriving-shaft journaled in the frame, and a gear-wheel securedto the inner end of the shaft which engages the said gear-wheel at thecenter of theplatform, whereby the platform remains stationary and thefunnels revolve for producing single ropes, substantially as shown anddescribed. 3. The combination of the frame, a revolving circularplatform journaled thereon, a number of funnels in which the straw isplaced, journaled in the revolving platform, gear-wheels secured to thelower ends of the funnels, a'driving-shaft journaled in the frame, agear-wheel secured to the inner end of the shaft, a gear-wheel securedto the circular platform engaging the said gear wheel upon the shaft,and a stationary gear-wheel engaging the gear-wheels upon the lower endsof the funnels, an inverted conical guide or funnel secured to the frameapproximately to the center of the circle described by the funnels forthe purpose of bringing the several ropes from the funnels to a commonpoint and twisting them together, and guiding-put an inverted coneplaced below the revolving platform, guiding-pulleys (Z, the rollers(libetween which the rope passes, pulley (2 upon the driving-shaft, thepulley (Z secured to one end of one of the rollers, and the belt (1,whereby the rope is automatically drawn from the funnels as rapidly asfinished, substantially as specified.

5. The combination of the frame, the revolving platform, a gear-wheelsecured thereto, a driving-shaft provided with a gear-wh eel upon itsinner end engaging the platform gear-wheel, a number of funnelsjournaled in the platform, gear-wheels upon their lower ends, astationary gearvheel placed at the center of the circle described by thefunnels and engaging the gear-wheels secured thereto, the inverted coneplaced below the funnels, the guiding-pulleys d and rollers (Z betweenwhich the rope passes, the pulleys (Z (1 belt (1, the stationary knife Fand pivoted knife F", and the arms f pivoted to the frame A,tightening-pulley secured to its free end for engaging the belt andhaving its opposite end engaged by the pivoted handle of the knife Fwhereby when the knife-blade is forced downward to sever the rope byraising the handle upward the belt is loosened and the rollers (lstopped, for the purpose described.

6. In a machine for twisting hay and straw into ropes, the combination,with revolving funnels for twisting the material into ropes, of awinding mechanism consisting of a receiving spool or shaft, afriction-disk secured thereto, a counter-shaft driven by the main shaft,a sliding friction pulley upon said shaft engaging the saidfriction-disk, a pivoted guiding-lever, through which the rope passes, aratchetwheel, a sliding bar carrying ratchets which engage and revolvethe ratchet-wheel, a revolving screw-shaft, a screw-block thereon whichengages the slidin g bar and moves it back and forth, and also the innerend of the guiding-lever, a shifter having one end to engage the ropeupon the spool, and which is moved endwise by the accumulation of ropethereon, a sliding bar engaging the opposite end of the said shifter,and clutches upon the end of the screw-shaft, whereby the revolution ofthe shaft reversed alternately by the movement of the shifter, agear-wheel secured to the ratchet wheel, and a fork engaging the saidgearwheel, and the sliding friction pulley for moving it along its shaftand across the face of the friction-disk, for the purpose substantiallyas shown and described.

7. The combination, in a machine for twist ing straw into ropes, of theframe, the revolving platform, the funnels j ournaled there in, thedriving-shaft for revolving the platform by means of gear-wheels, thecountershaft driven by the driving-shaft, guidingrollers for the rope,the spool upon which the twisted rope is wound, the guiding-leverpivoted to the frame and through which the rope passes, a screw-shaft, ascrew-block placed upon the shaft. and engaging the inner end of theguidi11g-lever,tl1e couplingshifter g clutclbpulleys g g and coupling g,placed upon one end of the se1'e\\'.-sl1aft, the shifter g, havingshoulders g, which engage the projections g upon the couplingshifter asit is forced inward, the ratchet wheel j, carrying a gear-wheel, theshiftingfork j, having one end to engage the pulley B" and its oppositeend formed into a rack and engaging the gear-wheel, and the sliding bar7, provided with pawls for operating the ratchet-wheel, and withprojections at each end, with which the serew-block engages at each endof its movement upon the screwrod, the pulley B", and friction-disk B",all combined to operate in the manner substantially as shown anddescribed.

8. In a hay or straw twisting machine, the combination of the mainframe, a revolving platform placed thereon and provided with agear-wheel, a driving-shaft provided with a gear-wheel engaging thegear-wheel upon the revolving platform, a suitable number of f unnelsjournaled in the platform, gear-wheels secured. to their lower ends, anda stationary gear-wheel placed at the center of the platform, and withwhich the said gear-wheels secured to the funnels engage, and radialarms within the funnels for preventing the straw from turning with them,for the purpose substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature in presence of twowitnesses.

LAVRENGE SULLIVAN.

Witnesses:

WILL C. REED, (J. F. DINSMORE.

